Subject: Paul Alexander's book
From: Matthew Jones (columnatedruinsdomino@hotmail.com)
Date: Fri Aug 10 2001 - 23:54:46 GMT
I was surprised two days ago to receive a present from my son in the US -
Paul Alexander's biography of Salinger. I read it that evening, although I
was a little wary of intruding into the man's life. I was unimpressed by the
book. Alexander's theory is essentially that Salinger is in hiding because
he wants to romance teenage girls. He constantly repeats that theory. Yet
apart from Joyce Maynard, who was over 18 anyway, there is no other evidence
that Salinger has done anything of the sort - only nasty rumours.
I felt a little diminished after finishing the book. Does Alexander "get"
any of Salinger's writing? There's very little literary analysis of
consequence. All I got out of it was a feeling of greater sympathy for the
man. I've avoided the Maynard book, for obvious reasons, but some of the
details about her relationship with JDS in Alexander's book are much too
explicit. I must admit a felt a little ashamed to be reading such
material...
Did anyone here enjoy this biography? I think that it got pretty rotten
reviews when it was published.
best wishes,
Matthew Jones
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